Gluten Hates Me

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Pretty Smart

Today was my first official day back in the retail store that my non-profit runs. I’ll have to admit I was excited to go back, but I was also dreading the January blues. For those of you who work in retail, you know what I’m talking about. From October through December, we run at full speed with loads of happy customers chirping about and there are tons of presents to wrap and babies to coo at. But January. Oh January. It’s a waste land of hour long silence and unhappy returns. Eesh.

But today was great. It was slow. (Ghost Town City) But it was a great day. In all honesty, with everything that’s happening in Haiti, I can’t think of a better place for me to be. We work with about 100 Haitian artisans, most of who worked in Port-au-Prince, and we’ve only heard from 25. Their workshops are demolished. While I understand the need for Urgent Aid (you can find a list of first responders here), I also understand the incredible journey it will take for Haiti to even get back to where they were, which is the poorest country in the Americas. 80% of their population lives on $2 a day. They have estimated that over 200,000 children are unpaid slaves working as household servants due to poverty. And Unfortunately, it is our world’s poorest countries who are exploited for the quickest buck (Made in Taiwan anyone?) and because they are so poor, they’ll take it; even when it’s not what they deserve. So they stay poor and die young, add in a hurricane, typhoon, or earthquake…and well, the results are devastating. So in the next few months…and even the next few years (forever?) think about supporting Haitian artisans through Fair Trade vendors. BE SURE it’s Fair Trade. Because the one thing that I’m truly realizing is this: there are only a few survivors, and over half of those survivors will most certainly be an amputee. An amputee can’t go out and work in the coffee or mango fields, but they may be able to create a gorgeous metal piece of art made from recycled oil drums, which they could sell for more than 20 times the average person’s wage.

Haiti is just one country that my non-profits supports. We work with artisans in 58 different developing countries. We offer our artisans a job with dignity and respect, at a wage that will help end the cycle of poverty. This is why drive my commute everyday and why I worked weeks without a day off. And why I love my job. :)

***************On to the eats!

Today’s snack was long awaited!

When I peeled off the lid, it took me a second

to realize the chocolate was on the bottom. Yeah, it says it on the package, but I never read past Chocolate. So I stirred and stirred.

So I rode my tasty snack high all the way home to find a package in the mail from

Janetha B of meals + moves !!!!!!

A few weeks ago I won a giveaway on her blog. Funnily enough, I won her stash of Amazing Grass! I was pretty excited because the stash included one of their green power bars, one of the only gluten free bars I found that is a superfood bar!

Can’t wait to try the Wheatgrass! :) I see a video post coming soon…possibly a wheat grass chug with Parrish!

I keep thinking the same thing about Haiti - things were so difficult BEFORE - I can't imagine how hard it is now. And I agree - free trade & fair trade are the only way to go. One of the reasons I love shopping at places like Ten Thousand Villages and Novica. Like Sarah said - it is wonderful that you are able to work for such an inspiring company!

girl you are making me tear up. I feel so helpless in helping them, even with donating. They have never had it good down there & now this. Ug. We are truly lucky & I am so grateful for you selling the fair traded things you do & reminding us all what is at stake with each ring of the register. <3